What Are the Etiquettes of Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah)? – Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad

What are the etiquettes of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah)?

In the name of Allah, peace and blessings be upon His noble messenger, his Family, and all his Companions.

Since Dhikr is the spiritual connection between the servant and his Lord, reaching a level of acceptance and yielding its fruits in the best manner necessitates certain etiquettes that the one remembering should observe before his Creator and Master.

Imam Nawawi (Allah have mercy on him) said:

“The one engaging in Dhikr should be in the best of states. If sitting, he should face the Qibla and sit humbly and submissively, with tranquility and dignity, bowing his head. Though Dhikr in other states is permissible, neglecting this (without a valid reason) is to forsake what is better. The place of Dhikr should be clean and free of distractions; hence, Dhikr in mosques and noble places is commended. It was reported from Abu Maysara: ‘Allah (Most High) is only to be remembered in a pure place.’ The one remembering should also ensure his mouth is clean, removing any bad odor with Siwak (or similar) and any impurity with water.

Engaging in Dhikr without doing so is disliked but not forbidden. Dhikr is beloved in all situations except in situations explicitly exempted by Sharia, such as when relieving oneself, during intimate relations, while listening to the Friday sermon if the voice of the imam can be heard, during the standing position in prayer since one should be reciting, during drowsiness, and it is not disliked to engage in Dhikr on the road or in the bath.” [Nawawi, al-Adhkar]

Among these etiquettes are:

Allah (Most High) said:

“Even though they were only commanded to worship Allah (alone) with sincere devotion to Him in all uprightness, establish prayer, and pay alms-tax. That is the upright Way.” [Quran, 98:5]

And Abu Umama al-Bahili (Allah be pleased with him) reported: A man came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and said:

“What about a man who fights seeking reward and fame? What does he get?” The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Nothing.” He repeated this three times; each time, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Nothing.” Then he said: “Allah does not accept any deed except that which is purely for Him and seeking His Face (Pleasure).” [Nasa’i; Tabarani]

The presence of heart and contemplation, as this is the purpose of Dhikr.

Imam Nawawi (Allah have mercy on him) stated:

The intended meaning of Dhikr is the presence of the heart. Therefore, it should be the goal of the one remembering to achieve this and to ponder and understand the meaning of what he is mentioning, as contemplation in Dhikr is sought after. [Nawawi, al-Adhkar]

Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “The Mufarridun have gone ahead.” They asked, “And who are the Mufarridun, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “Those who remember Allah often, both men and women.” [Bukhari; Muslim]

And from Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (Allah be pleased with him), he said: We were with the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), and he said, “Can any of you not earn a thousand good deeds every day?” A person among his companions asked, “How can one of us earn a thousand good deeds?” He said, “By saying ‘Subhan Allah’ a hundred times, then a thousand good deeds will be recorded for him, or a thousand sins will be wiped away.” [Muslim]

It is recommended that you be in a state of ablution before Dhikr.

From Muhajir ibn Qunfudh, he came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) while he was performing ablution, and greeted him. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) did not return the greeting until he had finished his ablution, then he apologized to him, saying, “I disliked to mention Allah except in a state of purity (tuhr),” or he said, “in a state of tahara.” [Ibn Khuzayma; Ibn Hibban; Hakim]

Allah (Most High) said:

“That is so. And whoever honors the symbols of Allah, it is certainly out of the piety of the heart.” [Quran, 22:32]

And Allah (Most High) said:

“The (true) believers are only those whose hearts tremble at the remembrance of Allah, whose faith increases when His revelations are recited to them, and who put their trust in their Lord.” [Quran, 8:2]

Narrated by Fadala bin ‘Ubaid (Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) heard a man making supplication in his prayer without glorifying Allah (Most High) and without praying on the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), so the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “This one is hasty.” Then he called him and said to him or to someone else, “When one of you prays, let him start by glorifying his Lord (Most High) and praising Him, then let him pray on the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), then let him make supplication afterwards.” [Abu Dawud]

It is recommended to start with the declaration of Allah’s Oneness (Tawhid) when making supplication, as done by Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him):

“Then in the (veils of) darkness he cried out, ‘There is no god (worthy of worship) except You. Glory be to You! I have certainly done wrong.’” [Quran, 21:87]

He called upon Him with Tawhid, then exalted Him above imperfections and injustice with tasbeeh (glorification), and then admitted his own wrongdoing, acknowledging it and deeming himself deserving. Allah (Most High) said:

“So We answered his prayer and rescued him from anguish. And so do We save the (true) believers.” [Quran, 21:88]

It is recommended to weep during supplication and when remembering Allah in solitude. Narrated by Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

“Seven will be shaded by Allah under His shade on the day when there will be no shade but His: a just ruler, a young man who grew up in the worship of Allah, a man whose heart is attached to the mosques, two men who love each other for Allah’s sake, meeting for that and parting upon that, a man who is called by a woman of beauty and position (for illegal intercourse), but he says: ‘I fear Allah’, a man who gives in charity so secretly that his left-hand does not know what his right hand has given, and a man who remembered Allah in private and so his eyes shed tears.” [Bukhari; Muslim]

The rememberer should be in the best of states. If sitting, face the Qibla, sitting humbly and reverently with tranquility and dignity, bowing his head. Though Dhikr, in other conditions, is permissible and not disliked, neglecting this without an excuse forsakes what is better. The evidence for the permissibility of remembering Allah in various states is in the words of Allah (Most High):

“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the day and night there are signs for people of reason. (They are) those who remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth (and pray), ‘Our Lord! You have not created (all of) this without purpose. Glory be to You! Protect us from the torment of the Fire.’” [Quran, 3:190-191]

It is recommended to purify the mouth with Siwak before supplication. If there is any change (in the mouth’s freshness), it should be removed with Siwak or by rinsing with water. ‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

“The Siwak is purifying for the mouth and pleasing to the Lord.” [Bukhari]

It is recommended to return greetings and to respond to the sneezer. If greeted, he should return the greeting and then return to Dhikr. Similarly, if someone sneezes near him, he should say “Yarhamuk Allah (Allah have mercy on you)” and then return to Dhikr. Likewise, if he hears the preacher or the muezzin, he should respond to the words of the Adhan and then return to Dhikr. Also, if he sees something wrong, he should remove it, or if there is something good, he should guide others to it, or if someone seeks guidance, he should answer them and then return to Dhikr.

We ask Allah to aid us in remembering Him, being grateful to Him, and worshiping Him well so that we may be among those who remember Allah much, both men and women.

[Shaykh] Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad